Siphon.



No. 848,365. PATENTED MAR. 2a, 1907. J. P. HARRIGAN.

SIPHON.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.9,1905.

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THF NORR'S PETERS CCV. WASHINGTON. 'D. C.

JOHN F. HARRIGAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIPHON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 26, 1907.

Application filed September 9, 1905. Serial No. 277,642.

1"0 (0Z7, whom, it may concern;

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. IIARRIGAN, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Siphons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to siphons of the automatic intermittenttype, andhas particular reference to siphons of this character which employnomoving parts, the siphon being especially adapted or use in flushingsewers, although equally capable of use for other puroses.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of the discharge portion of the siphon whereby a more rapidremoval of the water will take place.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air-aperture in thehell or shorter limb of the siphon to avoid all chance of clogging saidaperture under any circum' stances.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved structure ofthe upper end of the outlet or discharge limb of the trap, so as toprovide an easy passage for the water to the drain and to insure thestream of water following the escape of air from the upper end of saidlimb.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and combinationof parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional view of aflush-tank provided with a siphon embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is adetail elevation representing a modified form of the air-opening in thebell. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the inventionhereinafter described.

The reservoir of tank is indicated at 10, said tank having a supply-pipe11 of any ordinary or preferred type.

The drain or sewer is indicated at 12.

The hell or shorter limb of the siphon 13 is supported by the upper endof the inlet limb or leg 14- of the trap. The trap comprises the inletor longer limb 14 and the outlet or discharge or shorter limb 15, saidlimbs being connected by the usual bend in which is located the lowestportion of the trap. As usual, the two limbs extend in the samedirection from the bent portion. As shown, the limbs 14 and 15 are inthe form of pipes, the diameters of which are unvaried from end to endwith respect to the straight or vertical portions thereof, therebyeliminating liability of a clogging of the trap to an extent which wouldprevent the siphonic action, the clogging material having a free passagefrom the upper end of the pipe 14 to the lowest part of the trap where,owing to the enlarged space due to the meeting of the two limbs, suchmaterial would lodge without preventing the lowering of the liquidcontents below the level at which the seal is complete.

The air-aperture 16, formed in the bell 13, is formed with a straight orhorizontal top or with straight or vertical sides. It may open at thelower edge of the bell, as shown in Fig. 1, or the lower side of theaperture may be closed, as indicated in Fig. 2, in which said apertureis represented as horizontally elongated at 160. The horizontal slot 160(represented in Fig. 2) presents an opening'of considerably greater areathan the vertical recess 16. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The object of thestraight sides of the airaperture will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invert of the upper end of the shorter limb or leg 15 of the trap isformed with a horizontally-extending shoulder 18, from which the metalis inclined or sloped at 19, so as to carry the water escaping from theupper end of the short limb 15 easily downward to the drain withoutbreaking the continuity of the escaping stream. The shoulder 18 does notfollow the curvature of the horizontal portion of the invert, but, asshown in Fig. 3, extends across this portion of the invert at a pointabove the bottom thereof, the edge of the shoulder being in asubstantial horizontal plane, following the curvature of thevertically-extending portion of the outlet-arm of the seal or trap. Inother words, the shoulder conforms to the inner edge of across-sectionof the outlet-arm of the seal or trap. The incline 19 and shoulder 18might be termed a dam, the edge of which permits the initial flow ofliquid to extend substantially across the diam eter of the invert,thereby insuring an initial maximum overflow, the structure being suchthat the cross-sec tional area of the outletarm of the seal or trap, aswell as that of the invert 17 is not materially altered at any portionof its length, therefore providing a continuous channel for the escapeof water. As the invert 17 is rounded to form the continuous channel, itwill be obvious that the contents will be directed toward and over theshoulder 18 into the outlet to the sewer or drain, thereby preventingany tendency to clog at this will be driven into and through the columnpoint.

To obtain the best results, the siphon intake or bell should containbetween the top of the air-aperture andthe top of the inletlimb of thetrap a certain percentage of airspace greater than that contained inthatpart of the trap holding the seal and having the largest diameter. Thetrap should be filled with liquid, and as the liquid rises in thereservoir or tank the air in the bell is forced into the inlet-limb ofthe trap, gradually driving the liquid in the trap into the sewer ordrain until an equilibrium is established, whichtakes place when theliquid in that part of the trap forming the longer limb has been forcedto substantially the lowest part of the trap from which its depth ofseal is measured, at which time the water in the reservoir will balancethe column of water in the outlet-leg of the trap, due to the resistanceoffered by the liquid in said outlet-leg. This also tends to compressthe air within said longer limb, but with the slightest increase of thewater in the reservoir, with a resultant increase in pressure, some ofthe compressed air in the inlet-limb of the trap is driven into andthrough the column of liquid in the bend of the trap in the form ofbubbles, which having no outlet other than through the outlet-leg passtherein, tending to increase the contents of said outlet leg, with theobvious result that a portion of such contents is forced over theshoulder 18, immediately disturbing the equilibrium by decreasing theheight and quantity of liquid in the column, as well as decreasing theresistance offered by such column, so that there would be an inequalityin the pressures that existed between the liquid in the trap and in thereservoir. The liquid in the reservoir then rushes through the siphon tothe sewer, resulting in lowering the level of the liquid in thereservoir to a point below the top of the air opening or aperture in thebell or short limb of the siphon. WVhen the siphon is filled with airthat enters by way of the aperture in the bell, the siphonic action isbroken and the tank or reservoir fills and re peats the operation.

The fact that the longer limb or intake portion of the trap is ofgreater diameter than the shorter limb or outlet portion of the trapinsures a highly-sensitive siphon, which sensitive'ness will varyaccording to the relative proportions of these two members. In otherwords, the greater the difference between the two diameters mentionedthe greater is the sensitiveness of the siphon, since the increased areaof the liquid surface in the longer limb of the trap provides a greaterquantity of compressed-air bubbles at the instant the surface of theliquid in such longer limb passes to a point where the air may pass tothe outlet-leg, so that more air of liquid in the short limb of the trapat the same time, resulting in a greater amount of liquid escaping overthe shoulder or dam 18 at the time the seal is broken. Furthermore, thissensitive action of the siphon is ob tained not only by reason of thegreater area of the inlet limb or arm of the trap, but from the factthat said inlet-arm has its diameter unvaried from end to end, therebypractically retaining the air-bubbles in close contact and causing themto cling together to form a compact mass of bubbles which will movetogether, the increasing pressure of the liquid in the tank causing thisaction, a result which would not be obtained were the diameter of thisarm increased or decreased toward the trap, as when the diameter isincreased the bubbles would become scattered and pass into the trapsingly with practically no effeet. In addition, the fact that allbubbles must move in the same direction prevents any liability of themovement of scattered bubbles toward the outlet-arm of the trapcounteracting each other in effect. When the diameter is decreased, thesize of the bulk of the body of air-bubbles will be smaller, andconsequently less effective. This sudden removal of a large percentageof the liquid in the trap sets the siphon into instantaneous action, andit Will be readily understood that with suflicient increase in thediameter of the longer limb or intake part of the trap over the diameterof the shorter limb or outlet part of the trap almost the whole columnof liquid in the trap can be suddenly removed. This result is broughtabout by the increased amount of compressed air which is in contact withthe liquid surface in the longer arm or limb at the time such liquidsurface passes below the top of the seal formed in the bend of the trap,which air is that which is forced into and through the liquid column inthe shorter limb, as above explained.

By the construction of the shoulder 18 and incline 19 of the invert orhighest part of the shorter limb of the trap, as illustrated in thedrawings, the liquid disturbed by the passage of air through the columnof liquid in the outlet portion of the trap finds an easy passage to thesewer or drain, and the stream of liquid from the reservoir followingthe escape of the air is kept intact, insuring a maximum speed ofdischarge.

By forming the sides of the aperture with straight lines severaladvantages are obtained that add to the efficiency of the siphon: First,the aperture can be made so large without adding to the size of the bellthat the chances of its becoming clogged byforeign substances areminimized secondly, an airaperture with straight-line sides, preferablyhorizontal at the highest portion of the open-.1, 4

ings, will always free itself of liquid if the siphon has not beenthoroughly emptied of air, which result cannot be obtained with acircular or oval form of aperture. Moreover, if a crack is formed in thesiphon-bell near its lower end or if the entrance of foreign matter ofany bulk into the siphon, so as to obstruct the passage of liquid at theen trance to the longer limb of the trap, would prevent all of the airfrom leaving the siphon a thin film of liquid would cover the opening orair-aperture if said aperture were small and'had a curved upper edge.This form of construction is of especial advantage where sewage or otherliquids of a pasty consistency are received by the siphon and also invery cold places where the water in the reservoir or tank sometimesfreezes, the ice when broken oftentimes preventin the removal of all theair from the siphon during its period of discharge, the opening being ofsuch a length that the curvature of the bell will prevent solidsubstances from entirely closing said opening or aperture.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A siphoncomprising a siphon intake or hell, and a trap having a seal, thesurfacelevel of the contents of the trap being controlled by pressurefrom without the intake or bell, the area of the surfaces of the liquidcontents of said trap being unequal, the area at the discharge or outletend of the trap being less than that at the inlet end thereof, theliquid-surface area being unvaried through out the length of thatportion of the trap be tween its inlet and its lowest part.

2. A siphon comprising a siphon intake or hell, and a trap formed of along and a short limb with a bend or seal connecting said limbs, thesurface-level of the contents of the trap being controlled by pressurefrom with out the intake or bell, the diameter of the longer limb at itsjuncture with the bend being greater than is the. diameter of theshorter limb, the area of the liquidsurface being greater in said longerlimb than in the shorter limb, the liquid-surface area of the longerlimb being unvaried throughout the length of that portion thereofbetween the inlet end and the lowest part of the trap, whereby anincreased and compact body of air is forced into and through thecontents of the trap at the instant the liquid-surface of the longerlimb passes below the top of the seal of the trap.

3. A siphon comprising a siphon intake or hell and a trap provided witha bend that connects the long and short limbs thereof, the surface-levelof the contents of the trap being controlled by pressure from withoutthe intake or bell, the longer limb of the trap being of greaterdiameter than the short limb of the trap, the diameter of the straightportion of each of said limbs being unvaried from end to end.

l. A siphon comprising a siphon intake or hell, an d a trap providedwith a bend or seal that connects the long and short limbs of the trap,the surface-level of the contents of the trap being controlled bypressure from without the intake or bell, the longer limb of the trapand that side of the bend connecting with said longer limb, being ofgreater diam eter than the short limb of the trap, the di ameter of thestraight portion of each limb being unvaried from end to end.

5. A siphon comprising a siphon intake or bell, and a trap having acontinuous unbroken channel with smooth sides, said trap having two armsand an intermediate bend or seal, the surface-level of the contents ofthe trap being controlled by pressure from without the intake or bell,the diameter of said two arms being unequal, the diameter of thedischarge end of the trap being less than that of the inlet end thereof,the diameter of the inlet-arm being the same from its highest point tothe lowest part of the trap within the bend and the diameter from saidlowest part of the trap to the point of juncture of the bend and outletend of the trap gradually diminishing to meet and coincide with thediameter of the outlet-arm, the diameter of the latter remaining thesame throughout its entire length.

6. A siphon comprising a siphon intake or bell, and a trap formed of along and short limb with a bend or seal connecting said limbs, thesurfacelevel of the contents of the trap being controlled by pressurefrom with-- out the intake or bell, the diameter of the longer limbbeing unvaried throughout its length and greater than that of theshorter limb which also is unvaried throughout its length, the area ofthe liquid-surface being greater in said longer limb, whereby anincreased and compact body of air is forced into and through thecontents of the trap at the instant the liquid surface in the longerlimb passes below the top wall of the seal of the trap.

7. A siphon having the invert of the pipe leading from the seal or trapformed with a shoulder extending horizontallyacross the invert, saidshoulder conforming to the inner edge of a cross-section of theoutlet-arm of the seal or trap, the portion of the invert above thehorizontal plane of the shoulder being curved in a manner to retain theshape and size of the outlet-arm to a point beyond the shoulder, wherebythe uniformity of the water-surface area in the outlet-arm of the sealor trap will be preserved.

S. A siphon having the invert of the pipe leading from the seal or trapformed with a shoulder extending horizontally across the invert at apoint above the normal bottom level of the horizontal portion of theinvert, said shoulder conforming to the inner edge of a cross-section ofthe outlet-arm of the seal or trap, the portion of the invert above thehorizontal plane of the shoulder being curved in a manner to retain theshape and size of (tihe outlet-arm to a point beyond the shoul- 9. Asiphon having the invert of the pipe leading from the seal or trapformed with a shoulder extending horizontally across the invert, saidshoulder conforming to the inner edge of a cross-section of theoutlet-arm of the seal or trap, the portion of the invert above thehorizontal plane of the shoulder being curved in a manner to retain theshape and size of the outlet-arm to a point beyond the shoulder, and aninclined portion leading from said shoulder to the normal bottom levelof the invert.

10. A siphon having the invert of the pipe leading from the seal or trapformed with a shoulder and extending horizontally across the invert at apoint above the normal bottom level of the invert, said shoulderconforming to the inner edge of a crosssection of the outlet-arm of theseal or trap, whereby the uniformity of the Water-surface area in saidoutlet-arm will be preserved, and an inclined portion leading from saidshoulder toward the normal bottom level of the invert, that portion ofthe invert above the plane of the shoulder being curved to connect theoutlet-arm and the portion of the invert at the lower end of theinclined portion, such intermediate portion of the invert beingsubstantially arched in cross-section, and merging into and coincidingwith the shape of the invert at the lower end of the inclined portion.In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN F. HARRIGAN. Witnesses A. WV. HARRIsON, O. F BROWN.

